GSK, TCS Establish Drug Development Center

GlaxoSmithKline and Tata Consultancy Services have entered an agreement to establish a global drug development support center in Mumbai, India to help GSK meet the demands of its growing pipeline.

Under the multi-year, multi-million dollar contract, TCS will provide clinical research services, including clinical data management and clinical submissions support. The partnership will help GSK expand capacity, leverage India’s high-quality talent pool, and streamline cost and process improvements, according to a TCS statement.

The center will house a TCS professional team of skilled pharmacologists, Ph.D.s in life sciences, post-graduates in Pharmacy, and with a life sciences background experienced in clinical data management and programming. TCS will contribute its domain expertise, talent management skills, flexible operating models, transition capabilities and performance driven processes.

“This strategic partnership with TCS represents a significant step towards GSK’s vision of leveraging key talent globally to develop innovative medicines, said Dr. Amber Salzman, senior vice president, development operations, GSK. “GSK has chosen to partner with TCS because of its strong record in knowledge process outsourcing, underpinned by operational excellence. I am confident our collaboration will benefit both partners and, most important, help to deliver new medicines to patients.”

Commenting on the partnership, J. Rajagopal, TCS’ executive vice president and global head, life sciences and healthcare, TCS said, “The engagement with GSK is an endorsement of TCS’s strategy to focus on services supporting the drug development processes and the investments made in building our domain competencies in this area. The opportunity to work with GSK will further enhance our capabilities across therapeutic areas and help us build a long term relationship with an acknowledged industry leader.”